I Don't Have the Body For a Workout

You know how some people simply put sneakers on and run? Or they get on a bike and simply bike? And they feel sore and sometimes sustain an injury, but they run, bike, swim, or whatever other sport they want to do, they do it? Not professionally, but they do it.

I am not one of those people. And not for the lack of trying. I tried running and even though I had good shoes, ran on a good running surface, and started slow, my knees and hips were always in pain. I got a good bike and went for bike rides. I loved it. But later at home, I'd get backaches and headaches. Swimming slowly was great. Picking up the pace left me exhausted for days. 

 

Naturally, one option might have been to start where I was and veeery slowly build from there. Duh? Well, yes, but... What for someone was a short run around the block, for me felt like I was like trying to run a marathon. And so I assumed that this was just how my body was i.e. not made for that kind of activity. 

 

The other option therefore was to stop. 

 

I chose the latter. And looked with envy at people who ran up a mountain while I walked. I swooned at people speeding down the road on their racing bikes, while I pedaled my city bike, which I exchanged my sleek one for. And I thoroughly admired those swimming fast or long distance, while I leisurely swam short distances that seemed to be my limit.

 

Yes, I was active but not at the level I wanted to be. It just wasn't something that came to me naturally. 

 

I became aware of the third option only recently: functional strength training. And while there are likely other options, for me this one turned out to be the missing link for my body's performance. 

 

Functional strength training, by the way, is strength training that works with the functionality of the whole body, engaging multiple muscle groups at once to build muscle and improve strength, especially the core, but also to improve overall balance, coordination, and movement of the body.

 

So, yes, my body was the way it was, but the reason for it was quite simply that I lacked the muscle strength to workout and enjoy sports at the level I wanted to. And since some of my muscles were asleep and others took the brunt of the work, my body was out of balance, which it let me know through constant pain.

 

I've been doing functional strength training with a coach for nine months now and I still have a long way to go but I can already see huge changes in what my body can do. So, it's not that I don't have the body for a workout, it's that I needed a different type of workout to get me there :-)

And I am looking forward to more!